ThatwasnotthefirsttimeGeneralTriscoehadsilencedquestionofhisopinionswiththeargumenthehaduseduponEltwin，thoughhewasseldomabletouseitsoaptly。Healwaysfoundthatpeoplesuffered，hisbeliefinournationaldegenerationmuchmorereadilywhentheyknewthathehadleftadiplomaticpositioninEuropehehadgoneabroadassecretaryofaminorlegationtocomehomeandfightfortheUnion。
Somemillionsofothermenhadgoneintothewarfromthevariedmotiveswhichimpelledmenatthattime；buthewasawarethathehaddistinction，asamanofpropertyandamanoffamily，indoingso。Hisfamilyhadimprovedastimepassed，anditwasnowsooldthatbackofhisgrandfatheritwaslostinantiquity。ThisancestorhadretiredfromtheseaandbecomeamerchantinhisnativeRhodeIslandport，wherehissonestablishedhimselfasaphysician，andmarriedthedaughterofaformerslave-traderwhosesocialpositionwasthehighestintheplace；
Triscoelikedtomentionhismaternalgrandfatherwhenhewishedalistenertorealizejusthowanomaloushispartinawaragainstslaverywas；itheightenedtheeffectofhispose。
Hefoughtgallantlythroughthewar，andhewasbrevettedBrigadier-
Generalattheclose。Withthishonor，andwiththewoundwhichcausedanalmostimperceptiblelimpinhisgait，hewontheheartofarichNewYorkgirl，andherfathersethimupinabusiness，whichwasnotlongingoingtopiecesinhishands。ThentheyoungcouplewenttoliveinParis，wheretheirdaughterwasborn，andwherethemotherdiedwhenthechildwastenyearsold。Alittlelaterhisfather-in-lawdied，andTriscoereturnedtoNewYork，wherehefoundthefortunewhichhisdaughterhadinheritedwasmuchlessthanhesomehowthoughthehadarighttoexpect。